title: Schwann cell to axon transfer of ribosomes: toward a novel understanding of the role of glia in the nervous system.
abstract: Schwann cells play pivotal roles in the development and maintenance of the peripheral nervous system. Here, we show that intact sciatic nerve axons of mice contain a small population of ribosomes, which increases by several orders of magnitude when axons are desomatized (severed from their cell bodies). We furthermore demonstrate, using the Wallerian degeneration slow mouse as a model, that Schwann cells transfer polyribosomes to desomatized axons. These data indicate that Schwann cells have the propensity to control axonal protein synthesis by supplying ribosomes on local basis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica, 114-D Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Felipe A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Court
authors.forename: William T J
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Hendriks
authors.forename: Harold D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: MacGillavry
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Minnen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018993:Myelin P0 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D011132:Polyribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D018993:Myelin P0 Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C442580:Wld protein, mouse; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins